


An Afternoon Outing

by dystervarg



Category: Dracula - Bram Stoker
Genre: F/F, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-15
Updated: 2019-04-15
Packaged: 2020-01-14 14:06:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18477778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dystervarg/pseuds/dystervarg
Summary: Lucy writes in her diary about the unexpectedly special outing she and Mina shared that day!





	An Afternoon Outing

_Lucy Westenra’s Diary_

* * *

 

I am so wondrously, deliriously, gloriously happy! I can scarcely breathe and my heart will not stop racing! I never want to forget this wonderful day, not even the smallest detail of it! I shall set down the events of the afternoon as they happened chronologically, though I fear I may begin to tremble so much with excitement when I tell of the crescendo that I will be unable to write!

As is usually the case when Mina comes to call, I spent quite a long time fussing over my appearance. I donned a dress of soft cauliflower blue, which Mina has always said brings out the color of my eyes. Most of the rest of the morning was taken up with the exercise of trying to tame my mass of curls. Oh, I do envy Mina her sleek black tresses sometimes...

After dressing I occupied myself with trivial things, sewing and reading, until 4 o’clock, and then descended downstairs to the parlor to wait for Mina to arrive. The maids set out the sandwiches (cucumber) and cakes (strawberry). I insisted on using our better china for the occasion. I had wanted to use the _best_ set, but Mother wouldn’t hear of it.

I hid the two wrapped boxes under my skirt, and crossed my ankles so I would not kick my feet in excitement like a schoolgirl! I resolved to myself to be especially proper when my dear friend came to visit, as I supposed Mina must have had quite enough of tending to silly girls during her working hours.

Oh, how slowly the clock seemed to move! Each tick of the second hand seemed to me as loud as a thunderclap. When it became nearer to a quarter-past, the time Mina was to arrive, I sat up as straight as an iron pole. My heart was fluttering so, and I fear a flush must have come into my face, as one of the maids asked me if I was feeling quite well.

At twenty-past I began to feel nervous, and at twenty-five past I was sure the world was ending. It was unlike Mina to be late! I began to wonder if perhaps she had meant to cancel but her message had gotten delayed somehow. Surely it wasn’t that she didn’t _want_ to come? At that thought it was as if Providence Himself opened a hole in the floor which my spirit fell through, leaving my body rooted where it was. _No no_ , I told myself, _that couldn’t be_. But what then was the cause of her lateness? Had she come to any harm?

In a panic, I had just opened my mouth to ask one of the servants to look for Mina, when a maid entered the parlor, trailing Mina along behind her!

“Oh, Mina! Oh, darling!” I cried.

I almost leapt from my chair and rushed to her, but remembering the surprise I hid beneath my skirts, I had to content myself with simply standing and holding my hands out to her.

“I’m sorry I’m late, Lucy dear,” Mina said as she took my hands. She leaned forward and we kissed each other’s cheeks. “The children were rowdier than usual today.”

Mina sat beside me and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. She wore an emerald dress that looked lovely when paired against her dark skin. But I noticed to my dismay that the usual bright, inquisitive, spark in her eyes was dulled. She seemed haggard, as if a great trouble sat upon her shoulders.

Although my original plan had been to wait until after tea to surprise Mina, I quickly decided that would no longer do. I could not stand to see her so gloomy for another moment longer.

“My dear friend,” I said, sitting up straight once again. “Do you remember our visit to Whietely’s last month, when we came across those delightful shoes in the catalogue?”

“The little darlings with the wheels attached to them!” Mina replied, and I saw with some pride that a small bit of color had come into her cheeks. “Oh, yes, I do remember those!”

With a flourish, I produced both boxes from beneath my skirts and held them out to the astonished Mina. “Lucy!” she cried, “you didn’t! For _both_ of us?”

“Of course for both of us! I wasn’t about to let my dearest friend go without, not when I saw how longingly you stared at them! Go, on, try them on!”

With astonishing speed, Mina kicked off her boots, tore open the shoebox, and fixed the little shoes upon her dainty feet. They fit her like a dream, and with eagerness I hurried to slip into my own pair. I must confess that they did not fit quite as well, as my feet were not as dainty, but I am content to take this mortifying fact with me to my grave.

Mina and I looked at each other, and we were then overcome with a fit of laughter. We fell into each other’s arms, giggling so fiercely that it was not long before our eyes were streaming with tears! After we had collected ourselves, I turned to Mina and said,

“You know, I feel as though I fancy some ice cream this afternoon, shall we go to the square? The vendor will not yet have closed at this hour.” Mina nodded in agreement and reached down to unlace her new shoes, but I stayed her hand. “Dear, why on earth are you taking your shoes off? We’re both properly dressed for an outing already!”

Mina’s eyes went wide with shock.

“Lucy, you _can’t_ be serious?”

“Why not?” I retorted. “They’re quite fashionable! I’m sure it won’t be long until all the women of London will be wearing them!”

Mina stared at me for a full minute, and I recognized the expression she often wore when she was at war with herself. After a long silence, she let out a sigh and smiled at me. Oh, that smile! Mina has many smiles, but of all of them the smile she blessed me with at that moment is my favorite. It is crooked, with the left corner of her mouth ascending slightly higher than the right. Her head tilts to the side, and her dark eyes soften and seem to melt. If it were possible, I would make it so that she only ever turned this smile on me for the rest of time, so in love am I with it.

“Oh, all right.”

However, our outing was almost thwarted then and there! For as soon as we stood up it quickly dawned upon us that neither Mina nor I knew how to properly _move_ in these shoes! The sensation of one’s feet sliding out from beneath them is quite difficult to describe, and I was a little frightened at first. But dear dear Mina, as clever as always, quickly learned the trick of the shoes, and before I knew it was gliding about the parlor!

“Here, Lucy, it’s really quite easy!” she said to me, holding out a hand.

I clasped her hand in mine and with wobbling knees rose from my seat. Mina guided me to the front door and out into the street. By this time I had gotten my feet under me well enough, but I was loathe to let go of Mina’s hand. I feigned a continued ignorance, and though I suspect Mina was wise to my tricks, she continued along in the lead.

What a sight we were! Every head turned to stare at us as we rolled past, but we went along at such a pace that their faces were all blurry, so we hardly paid them any mind. In no time at all we had reached the square and drifted over to the ice cream vendor. My heart was beating so strong and fast that I knew Mina must be able to feel my pulse in her hand. I dreaded the moment when she would untwine her fingers from mine, but it never seemed to come. We ordered our ice creams, paid the vendor, and set off again all while our hands were clasped together.

The shops were all closing for the day, so Mina and I contented ourselves with admiring the window displays, lit with golden fire from the setting sun. After a time we glided into the park, and finished off our ice-creams on a bench overlooking a small pond. The water danced with bright sparks of light, and I felt my own heart dancing as well. The sky was brilliant red, rose-red, with clouds of pink and lavender wreathed about the vermillion sun. A few brilliant stars were already twinkling above us.

Mina squeezed my hand, and I turned to look at her.

“Lucy...” she murmured, locking my gaze with hers. “Thank you for today. I feel that this was the loveliest afternoon I’ve had in quite a while.”

And oh, how beautiful Mina looked in the light of the sunset! Her skin was highlighted with pure gold, and her eyes seemed to glow with their own light. Her full, pink, lips looked so prim and so sweet that I could not help but lean over and place a kiss upon them.

I confess I have kissed Mina before, but under this array of heavenly fire, with the star of Venus herself as witness, it felt as different as different could be. I drew back, looking shyly up at Mina from underneath my lashes, waiting to see her reaction.

As before, I saw a confused expression flit across her face. But, oh! Then! That blessed smile fell, and I felt my heart swell to bursting!

Mina leaned forward and this time, placed a kiss upon _my_ lips! She still tasted of vanilla ice cream, and that kiss was the longest and sweetest I have ever had.

“Ms. Mina Murray,” I whispered as we parted, leaning my forehead against hers. “I would very much like to go on an outing like this again with you.”

“It would be my pleasure, Ms. Lucy Westenra.”

 

From now until my dying day, I believe I shall always associate the taste of vanilla and the colors of the sunset with the most supreme happiness!

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was inspired by a picture of Victorian-style roller skates shared in a Dracula Discord, and me and the peeps there imagining Lucy and Mina having fun with them! Also inspired by me wanting Lucy and Mina to have A NICE DAY FOR ONCE
> 
> Thank you for reading! \\(^_^)/


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